GRAND' AMTRAK DETOUR

CapeCod Loco guy asked me to post this picture :
Amtrak combo train 63/69 passing westbound through CP 215 at Pelham this morning.






edited on request of the Loco Guy

Erie-Lackawanna wrote:The current customer information system at Grand Central Terminal was designed and installed long after Amtrak moved to Pennsylvania Station, and therefore has no capacity to show Amtrak destinations or trains.

Jim I'm trying to get a sense of how the board works. Can they edit entries? Be able to display something like-

Time Track Destination Remarks
9:45PM 34 Amtrak see agent

They can change destinations/times etc during service delays. Or can they? Like I said previously, I haven't used the board in a while.

[edited - spelling]

They can make changes to deal with service disruptions, but station names can't be changed, and the destination can't be left blank. In short, the customer information system at GCT cannot handle Amtrak trains. If there were a way to do it, even if kludgy, they would have done it.

Jim

Author: GenePoon (forwarded from other forum)
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Because of Metro-North trackwork next weekend, Amtrak will detour most service to Grand Central. The HICKORY CREEK, once the tail car on the 20th Century Limited, will carry the markers and wear its drumhead over the weekend:

Train #235
Friday, October 24
New York - Penn Station to Albany-Rensselaer (NORMAL ROUTE)
Dp 2:20 pm Ar 4:50 pm

Train #280
Saturday, October 25
Albany-Rensselaer to Grand Central Terminal
Dp 10:05 am Ar 12:45 pm

Train #291
Saturday, October 25
New York - Grand Central Terminal to Albany-Rensselaer
Dp 3:45 pm Ar 6:45 pm

Train #254
Sunday, October 26
Albany-Rensselaer Grand to Central Terminal
Dp 10:05 am Ar 12:45 pm

Train#285
Sunday, October 26
Grand Central Terminal to Albany-Rensselaer
Dp 2:45 pm Ar 5:45 pm

Train #238
Monday, October 27
Albany-Rensselaer to New York - Penn Station (NORMAL ROUTE)
Dp 12:05 pm Ar 2:35 pm

Tickets ARE available, go to:

http://www.startrakinc.com/hickorycreek ... ct_res.htm


DISCLAIMER: I have no financial or other connection with the owners and operators of this private car.

DutchRailnut wrote:Author: GenePoon (forwarded from other forum)
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Because of Metro-North trackwork next weekend, Amtrak will detour most service to Grand Central. The HICKORY CREEK, once the tail car on the 20th Century Limited, will carry the markers and wear its drumhead over the weekend

Discussed right here: http://railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=93&t=55829

Why is 238 running its normal route? It isn't an LD.

Erie-Lackawanna wrote:They can make changes to deal with service disruptions, but station names can't be changed, and the destination can't be left blank. In short, the customer information system at GCT cannot handle Amtrak trains. If there were a way to do it, even if kludgy, they would have done it.

I was there Saturday and I saw an Amtrak train on the board (on the Hudson/Harlem side of the board). It didn't say Amtrak at all, it just mentioned Empire and the train # and track #. Not very helpful, but it was there. Not sure if it translated to the online departure board, though.

JamesRR wrote:I was there Saturday and I saw an Amtrak train on the board (on the Hudson/Harlem side of the board). It didn't say Amtrak at all, it just mentioned Empire and the train # and track #. Not very helpful, but it was there. Not sure if it translated to the online departure board, though.

Interesting. On what specific section did you see it - was it intermingled with Hudson Line trains, or on the panel at left, closest to the corridor leading to the Waiting Room/42nd Street?

Jim

Amtrak7 wrote:Why is 238 running its normal route? It isn't an LD.

Note 238 runs on Monday when work is over.

Just to add to the comments re: Amtrak's on the GCT departure monitor screens....Sat in GCT, on the CRT monitor near trk 38, Amtrak #281 was listed as follows: In the green banner (time = 10:45 am, Trk = 35, Destination = blank, Remarks = Albany)...Found this interesting and took a digital image of the monitor...Later dp/ar Amtrak trains did not show in the "Albany" in the remarks field...

DutchRailnut wrote:CapeCodRailroader

How soon they forget. But thanks for posting my picture.

Cape Cod Loco Guy

You should watch that Loco Guy stuff, after all, there is a large spanish speaking populus in New York and Connecticut .

jmgabriel wrote:Just to add to the comments re: Amtrak's on the GCT departure monitor screens....Sat in GCT, on the CRT monitor near trk 38, Amtrak #281 was listed as follows: In the green banner (time = 10:45 am, Trk = 35, Destination = blank, Remarks = Albany)...Found this interesting and took a digital image of the monitor...Later dp/ar Amtrak trains did not show in the "Albany" in the remarks field...

Obviously the system has changed since I was last involved with it. I stand corrected. :)

Jim

There's a vid on youtube (link below) that is supposed to show a westbound Amtrak train passing Yankee Stadium last weekend with no Metro-North escort unit. There's no caption info but it's a five-car train (not 63/69 or 49 from NYP) and from the sun angle looks like maybe mid-afternoon.

On the Hudson River Rails list it was stated at least one Amtrak train DID go into GCT on its own, in diesel mode. Wonder who the engineer was? Amtrak's or Metro-North's? Are Metro-North engine crews qualified to operate Amtrak Gennies? W/O escape hatch?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZs9hI9Yorc

If you read the info on the youtube page it explains it with some more details. The video owner claims the Amtrak was sent to MO to be wyed, so no need for a MNR unit if not going into GCT, only a MNR pilot if the Amtrak engineer wasn't qualified to MO.